Operator for slide fasteners



April 21, 1959 A. B, JOHNSON OP RA OR F612 SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Oct 4, 1956 7' .flarfiaera lama-0N 5 INVENTOR.

Anne/ways.

OPERATOR FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Alf B. Johnson, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Application October 4, 1956, Serial No. 613,864

7 Claims. (Cl. 24-20515) This invention relates to slide fasteners, and particu- July we tool for moving the slider.

A problem particularly pressing in connection with garments is the likelihood of foreign objects, such as undergarments, and even skin becoming caught between the elements of the fastener as the fastener is closed Tools have been devised which are intended to guide the adjacent objects out of the path of the elements, while serving as an operator for the slider. Known tools are subject to serious disadvantages, particularly because the guides have substantial bulk and occupy space-on the reverse side of the fastener. This makes manipulation difiicult especially in a form-fitting garment or foundation garment, necessitating displacement of the fiesh to accommodate the guide. Furthermore, such known tools readily become dislodged from-the slider, especially if the d? States Patent fastener is attempted to be-manipulatedin the usual 7;

manner of slight back and forth motion. Still further known tools are not designed to facilitate opening movementof the slider.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved tool that overcomes these disadvantages.

Another object is to provide a tool of this character 2,882,577 Patented Apr. 21, 1959 2 'spectively, along planes indicated by lines S -"5 and of Fig. 3.

The tool 10 shown in Fig. 1 includes a shank portion 11, one end of which is secured at the end of a handle 12. The other end of the shank provides an integrally formed transverse U-shaped shield or guide 13 adapted to be placed over the forward end of a conventional slider 15 (Fig. 3) of a slide fastener. The shank 1'1 and shield 13 are conveniently made from flat, rectangular, cross-section stock.

The opposite arms 13a and 13b of the shield extend respectively on the obverse and reverse sides of slider 15. The connecting portion 130 of the shield extends just forwardly of that end of the'slider 15 adjacent thesepm rated portions of the opposed series of fastener elements 16 and 17. The shield adequately overlies the slider openings 15c and 15d (Fig. 5) at which the separated fastener elements enter or leave the slider 15.

In order to secure the tool 10 to the slider 15 and to hold the guide 13 in appropriate position relative thereto, use is made of the pull tab 18 pivotally secured "to the usual integral eye 15a on the obverse side of the slider 15. The tab 18 projects through a rectangular opening 19 (Fig. 2) extending from the bend 20 (Fig. 1) "at the end of the shank 11 along the arm 13a.

The tab 18 is disposed over the top surface of the T shank 11 and is secured in position by the aid of a latch 21 (Fig. 4). The latch 21, which may also be made of strip stock, encompasses the shank 11 and s'lidablelongitudinally thereof. a

The latch 21 has sufiicient clearance on the shank 11 Bio accomrnodatethe pull tab 18 therein. Thepull tab 18 that is readily detachable, yet in firm engagement with the usual pull tab of the slider so that back and forth or any manipulation of the slider is facilitated.

tab so that a garment can be donned 'after the tool is in position. This facilitates operation especially forfasteners located at the back of the wearer.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved tool that promotes easy operation of thefastener. This is provided by ensuring lifting of the tab 'by application of forces. so directed that there is little tendency for the slider to snag.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but-it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tool incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken longitudinally of the fastener, the hand of the user being shown in phantom lines;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing particularly the operation of the sliding latch of the tool; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views taken, re-

is'received within the latch 21 by moving the latch outwardly of the shank 11. The slider 15 is :moved by exerting a thrust on the handle 12, connection being effected through the latch 21 and pull tab '18. A thrust on the handle 12 in the direction of the arrow 22 (Fig. 3) closes the fastener, and an opposite thrust opens-the fastener.

The plane of symmetry of the shield 13, indicated by the line 14 in Fig. 1, makes an obtuse angle with respect to the shank 11. When this plane is aligned with the longitudinal dimension of the slide fastener, the handle 12 inclines rearwardly of the slider 15, as shown in Fig. 3. Due to this inclination, the force applied to the slideri15 through the eye 15a can readily be directed outwardly.

Simple reciprocation of the latch 21 is effective to couple and uncouple the tool from the fastener :slider. The difference in length between the shank 11 and the latch 21 is sufiicient to allow the latch to clear the end of a long pull tab 18 upon retraction of the latch. The protuberance 23a is located a distance from the forward end of the latch sufliciently small to ensure latching with small pull tabs.

When the latch 21 is in retracted position, the spring finger 23 engages the top surface of the shank 11 and appropriately positions the latch 21 for reception of the end of the pull tab 18. Advancement of the latch 21 causes the end of the pull tab to engage the inclined portion 23b (Fig. 4) of the spring finger 23 adjoining the protuberance 23a, thereby causing the spring finger to deflect until the protuberance 23a becomes seated.

By the application of slight force, the protuberance 23a can be dislodged.

The angular deviation of the shank 11 from a position normal to the longitudinal dimension of the slide fastener is sufliciently small to prevent any appreciable application of longitudinal force to the detent 23 as the tool is used. This ensures against dislodging the latch 21 while the tool is used, and makes possible relatively light action of the detent 23.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the free arm 13b of the shield 13 holds articles of clothing and also the skin of the wearer away from the fastener elements 16 and 17 as the elements 16 and 17 enter the slider 15. Accordingly, entanglement at the openings 15c and 15d of the slider 15 is prevented.

Only a small portion of the entire tool, namely, the free arm of the guide 13, projects on the reverse side of the fastener; Accordingly, the fastener elements 16 and 17 can be drawn substantially fully together before the tool is removed. When the fastener elements are substantially fully closed, the latch 21 is retracted and the tool simply pulled upwardly and outwardly. The end of the pull tab 18 quickly clears the rectangular opening 19... The apparatus is sufficiently compact to make possible use of the tool in connection with a zipper aifixed to a form-fitting dress or foundation garment.

The connecting portion 13c of the U-shaped shield 13 is recessed, as at 13d and 13a, on opposite sides in order to permit the opposed fastener elements 16 and 17 to assume appropriate angularity near the slider 15.

'The tool can be placed firmly in engagement with the pull tab 18 prior to donning the garment to which the fastener structure is affixed. This especially facilitates manipulation of the fastener located at the back of a garment.

The .tool facilitates both closing and opening movement of the fastener structure. The connection between the tool and the pull tab 18 is not dependent upon the direction of movement of the fastener slider 15.

The inventor claims:

l. A tool for a slide fastener having a slider: an elongate support member; a U-shaped shield member having one arm joined to the end of the support member and oriented so that the arms extend transversely of the support member; said shield member being adapted to be placed over the slider; and means for detachably connecting the slider to one of the members.

2. A tool for a slider fastener having a slider provided with a pull tab: an elongate support member; a U-shaped shield member having one arm joined to the end of the support member and oriented so that the arms extend transversely of the support member; said shield member being adapted to be placed over the slider; there being an opening located adjacent the place of joining of said one arm to said support member through which said pull tab may extend; and a latch carried by the support member for detachably engaging said pull tab.

3. A tool for a slide fastener having a slider and a pull tab: an elongate support member; a U-shaped shield member having one arm joined to the end of the support memher and oriented so that the arms extend transversely of the support member; said shield member being adapted to be placed over the slider; there being an opening located adjacent the place of joining of said one arm to said support; the pull tab being adapted to extend along said support member; and a latch member slidable along the support member and adapted selectively to receive said pull tab.

4. A tool for a slide fastener having a slider and a pull tab: an elongate support member; a U-shaped shield member having one arm joined to the end of the support member and oriented so that the arms extend transversely of the support member; said shield member being adapted to be placed over the slider; there being an opening located adjacent the place of joining of said one arm to said support; the pull tab being adapted to extend along said support member; and a latch member slidable along the support member and adapted selectively to receive said pull tab; said latch including a spring detent engageable with the pull tab.

5. A tool for a slide fastener having a slider: an elongate support member; a U-shaped shield member having one arm joined to the end of the support member and oriented so that the arms extend obliquely to the support member; said shield member being adapted to be placed over the slider; and means for detachably connecting the slider to one of the members.

6. A tool for a slide fastener having a slider and a pull tab: an elongate support member; a U-shaped shield member having one arm joined to the end of the support member and oriented so that the arms extend transversely of the support member; said shield member being adapted to be placed over the slider; there being an opening located adjacent the place of joining of said one arm to said support; the pull tab being adapted to extend along said support member; and a latch member slidable along the support member and adapted selectively to receive said pull tab; said latch having a spring finger providing an intermediate protuberance engageable with a hole provided in the pull tab, said finger normally urging the latch in a position for reception of the pull tab.

7. A tool for a slide fastener having a slider and a pull tab: an elongate support member; a U-shaped shield member having one arm joined to the end of the support member and oriented so that the arms extend transversely of the support member; said shield member being adapted to be placed over the slider; there being an opening located adjacent the place of joining of said one arm to said support; the pull tab being adapted to extend along said support member; and a latch member slidable along the support member and adapted selec tively to receive said pull tab; said latch being reciprocable along the support member and having a length relative to the support member sufiicient to permit the latch to clear the end of the pull tab.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 927,653 Heckman July 13, 1909 1,701,633 Proffitt Feb. 12, 1929 2,579,207 Scheib Dec. 18, 1951 2,663,588 Scheldorfer Dec. 22, 1953 

